Polygonal cooking apparatus with a pressurizable condensate jacket

Abstract

A cooking apparatus having a polygonal skillet comprising a bottom plate with depending walls and an exteriorly mounted sealed jacket spaced away in communication with a heat source for heating a condensate contained within the jacket to a vapor that will circulate around the substantially planar surfaces of the skillet confined by the jacket with the jacket positioned to form a condensate return slope. The jacket and skillet have a plurality of anchoring fasteners extending therebetween providing a cooking apparatus having an enclosure capable of 400 psi, which is not in the prior art that consist substantially of radial cross section vessels of lesser pressure capability.

1. A polygonal cooking apparatus with a pressurizable condensate jacket comprising:
 a) a polygonal skillet having a bottom plate, at least three sides and an open top; 
 b) a steam circulation jacket assembly exteriorly enveloping at least half of said skillet sides and bottom portion thereof in a spaced-apart relation to form a sealed jacket cavity therebetween; 
 c) means for mounting said steam circulation jacket on said skillet; 
 d) a condensate contained within said jacket cavity; 
 e) a heat source in communication with said steam circulation jacket for heating said condensate contained within said jacket cavity to a vapor that circulates around the substantially planar surfaces of said skillet confined therein by said steam circulation jacket; and 
 f) said steam circulation jacket mounting means comprises a plurality of jacket pins projecting from the outer surfaces of said skillet on which said steam circulation jacket sections are to be employed and mating apertures for each said jacket pin disposed in the walls of the corresponding steam circulation jacket sections wherein said jacket pins are inserted into their corresponding apertures during assembly. 
 
     
     
       2. The polygonal cooking apparatus with a pressurizable condensate jacket recited in  claim 1 , wherein each section of said steam circulation jacket includes a plurality of flanges with each said flange projecting inwardly from selected edges thereof to determine and maintain the spaced-apart relation between the outer surfaces of said skillet and the respective inner walls of said steam circulation jacket thereby effectively defining said jacket cavity. 
     
     
       3. The polygonal cooking apparatus with a pressurizable condensate jacket recited in  claim 2 , wherein said flanges of said steam circulation jacket assembly sections further serve to overlap adjacent sections thereby working conjunctively with said jacket pins and apertures to prevent displacement of said steam circulation jacket assembly when an internal pressure is applied to said jacket cavity. 
     
     
       4. The polygonal cooking apparatus with a pressurizable condensate jacket recited in  claim 3 , wherein said jacket cavity is capable of receiving an internal psi of approximately, but not limited to, 400 psi. 
     
     
       5. The polygonal cooking apparatus with a pressurizable condensate jacket recited in  claim 4 , wherein said steam circulation jacket includes at least one angled wraparound section to engage at least two of the adjacent planar outer surfaces of said skillet. 
     
     
       6. The polygonal cooking apparatus with a pressurizable condensate jacket recited in  claim 5 , wherein said condensate is vaporized when heated by said heat source and the resultant pressurized steam that circulates through said jacket cavity transfers heat to said skillet to cook food articles that are placed therein. 
     
     
       7. The polygonal cooking apparatus with a pressurizable condensate jacket recited in  claim 6 , further including a reservoir in communication with said jacket cavity via a conduit. 
     
     
       8. The polygonal cooking apparatus with a pressurizable condensate jacket recited in  claim 7 , wherein said heat source is internally disposed within said reservoir. 
     
     
       9. The polygonal cooking apparatus with a pressurizable condensate jacket recited in  claim 8 , wherein said heat source is a flat bar heating element. 
     
     
       10. The polygonal cooking apparatus with a pressurizable condensate jacket recited in  claim 9 , wherein said a sidewall of said steam circulation jacket is angularly disposed accordingly to encourage the return of said condensation to said reservoir.